A 15-year-old girl has been ordered to be held in custody after a court found probable cause following a fatal incident aboard a Chicago Transit Authority train. Read on for more details.
What Happened
On September 7, 2026, 29-year-old Kyle Bickham was riding a moving CTA Red Line train near the 69th Street station when an altercation allegedly occurred.
According to police, three people were suspected of being involved in pushing Bickham from the moving train.
Initial reports from law enforcement suggested that Bickham had jumped from the train. However, further investigation changed that assessment.
Prosecutors and police say he was pushed from the moving train. He fell onto the tracks, hit an electrified third rail, and was then struck by another train.
Kyle Bickham’s Death Ruled A Homicide
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently ruled the death a homicide, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Bickham was returning home after working an overnight shift at an Amazon warehouse when the incident happened.
Hawaii News Now cited Kyle’s grandmother as saying, “If you’re that evil, to open a door and throw someone, a live person out, what’s wrong with you? This guy was so kind.”
Other family members described Kyle as a young man who’d recently moved into his own apartment. He supported the Chicago Bulls, had a close bond with his nieces, and loved poetry.
Family Calls For Answers
His family gathered at the station on Sunday, urging witnesses and outstanding suspects to please step forward. As reported by ABC 7 Chicago, Bickham’s mom, LaTanya Bickham, addressed reporters directly.
“I don’t know who else is out there, but I’d like you to turn yourself in,” she said. She also questioned CTA safety protocols, asking how a door could be opened so easily while the train was moving.
Viewers React
The coverage of the incident made many people feel sad about the inexplicable actions and the impact on the victim’s family.
One viewer wrote in the comments on ABC 7 Chicago’s YouTube video, “Only a monster posing as a human can do such an atrocity.”
Here are some other responses from the discussion:
- “Thrown off of a train, fell onto the third rail and struck by another train. What an absolutely horrible way for a young person to die.”
- “Poor guy man what the hell is wrong with people. Geez.”
- “Oh nooo…….! Poor guy. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. Praying for you mom, I’m so very sorry for your loss.”
Another viewer commented on the scarcity of information, writing, “What exactly happened? Why aren’t we hearing more about the events surrounding the situation?”
15-Year-Old Charged With Murder
Because the suspect is 15, much of the information surrounding her case may remain confidential under Illinois juvenile law. Juvenile court records generally aren’t available to the public.
Although prosecutors can seek to have some juvenile cases transferred to adult court, a first-degree murder charge does not automatically put a 15-year-old into adult court in Illinois.
Police arrested the 15-year-old girl on Friday, and according to CBS News Chicago, prosecutors charged her with first-degree murder. A judge ordered her held in custody on Saturday, September 12.
She’s scheduled to appear in court today, September 14. Police don’t appear to have arrested any other suspects at this time, though investigators continue searching for the remaining people involved.
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